Head of Compliance in Edinburgh

Head of Compliance, Registration & Regulatory Operations

Contract Details

• Locations: Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast (hybrid working, 2 days per week in office required)
• Contract: Interim assignment, 6 months duration
• Status: Inside IR35

We are supporting a high-profile public sector organisation in the appointment of a senior regulatory leader to oversee a critical compliance, registration and transparency function operating within a statutory and politically sensitive environment.

This is a senior leadership role responsible for the strategic and operational delivery of regulatory registration, compliance monitoring and statutory reporting activities. The successful candidate will ensure robust governance, high-quality decision-making and effective oversight of regulated information and financial returns.

The role sits within the Senior Leadership Team and contributes directly to organisational strategy, regulatory assurance and external stakeholder engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of statutory registration, compliance and transparency functions within a regulated framework
• Oversee the receipt, review, validation and publication of regulated financial returns and statutory submissions
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements through robust checking, quality assurance and governance processes
• Take evidence-based and risk-informed regulatory decisions in a fast-paced and politically sensitive environment
• Own and maintain quality management systems, governance frameworks and regulated data processes
• Ensure accuracy, integrity and auditability of regulatory information and reporting outputs
• Contribute to organisational regulatory strategy as part of the Senior Leadership Team
• Work collaboratively with other Heads of Service, providing leadership across directorate priorities and stepping in where required
• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with regulated organisations, government bodies, political stakeholders and external partners
• Lead, develop and motivate a specialist compliance and regulatory operations team, setting clear performance expectations and supporting professional development

Candidate Profile

We are seeking experienced professionals from regulated, statutory or governance-heavy environments such as:

• Regulatory bodies
• Financial services compliance and risk functions
• Public sector regulatory or assurance roles
• Healthcare or NHS governance environments
• Government or statutory reporting organisations

You will ideally demonstrate:

• Proven experience leading compliance, governance or regulatory operations functions
• Direct experience within statutory or regulated reporting frameworks
• Strong understanding of risk-based, evidence-led decision making
• Experience managing governance structures, quality systems or audit frameworks
• Experience engaging with senior stakeholders, regulators or government counterparts
• Strong leadership capability within operational or compliance teams
• Ability to operate effectively in politically sensitive or high-profile environments

Additional Information

This is a senior interim opportunity within a nationally significant regulatory function. The role offers high visibility, direct exposure to senior stakeholders and meaningful impact on statutory compliance and transparency operations.